Photos by Bob Hockenbrock

By Joshua Yoder

LEWISTOWN – It has finally come down to this, two teams looking to be crowned a champion. Both teams left it all out there on the field and truly played like champions.

However there could only be one and it came down to who could take advantage of their opportunities and it was the McVeytown Eagles that held up the trophy defeating the Kish Indians 13-6 in the 2024 CKFL Peewee championship finals under lights of Mitchell Field Friday night.

For most of the game each respective defenses were doing a tremendous job keeping their opponents’ offenses in check.

But the Eagles were able to get on the scoreboard first as Alexander Weaver scored a four yard rushing touchdown. However, McVeytown failed to get the extra point thanks to tough defense by Kish leaving the score at 6-0.

Then early on in the second quarter, the Kish defense came up big again forcing the Eagles to punt. But that was when the special teams stepped up as Jase Atherton received the punt and found an open lane into the endzone going 55 yards for the score. Sadly, the Indians also failed to get the extra point thanks to a great effort by the McVeytown defense.

Coming out of the break with the score at six apiece, both defenses continued to stay strong refusing to allow any momentum for the offense.

That was until Calvin Napikoski found a huge gap in the Kish defense and hustled his way down the sideline to complete a 75 yard run for the score. Matthew Hartsock completed the extra point making it 13-6.

But the Indians were not going away quietly as they fought their way down the field, making play after play and were able to get the ball into the McVeytown side of the field.

However, things got out of hand as Kish was attempting to complete a screen pass only for the ball to go behind the running back making it a fumble and the Eagles immediately jumped on the ball.

The Eagles then powered their way down the field to run out the clock and secure the title.

Weaver, Hartsock and Napikoski both led the way on offense for McVeytown and defensively they also got some big time plays from Cole Laughlin and Lincoln Knable.

Kish had some highlight players as well to go along with Atherton in Wyatt Hassinger, Julian Altiery who had gotten a sack in the game and Jace Glick who made an incredible catch late in the game.

Congrats to both teams for an amazing championship game and congrats to all teams for a wonderful season.